Whats the date when McCoy pulls the pug on his father? In star trek 5
McCoys father
- Thread starter sunburn800
- Start date
I should never try to do 2 things at once I meant pulled the plug
McCoy graduates from medical school around 2253 and begins serving on the Enterprise at the beginning of 2266. My guess would be in the mid-to-late 2250s...after he is romantically involved with Emony Dax(see DS9) and possibly during his relationship with Nancy Crater.
What reason do we have to think that Leonard McCoy was a doctor when he killed his father? He could have done that in the role of next-of-kin instead. And he could have been of any age, from six to forty-six, since his physical looks in the Sybok-induced fantasy would not really reflect his true age. All we know is that he "looked for the cure" - but a layman (or a laychild) can do that just as well as a doctor might.
We have very little idea about McCoy's early history anyway. There is no indication yet that he studied medicine first and joined Starfleet thereafter, even though many novels assume this. Nor is there evidence against him earning his PhD and officer commission within the standard four Academy years - after all, other, later and better-known bios suggest that engineers can get their demanding academic-level training within those parameters easily enough.
All we really know about McCoy's story is his birthdate (thanks to "Encounter at Farpoint"), the number of years he served as starship CMO (thanks to ST6:TUC), and a couple of rather fuzzy glimpses to his career aboard the Enterprise (with no indication that we would be seeing his first year aboard, or his last year, or anything). Those, and a very fuzzy reference in "Trials and Tribble-ations" for him having been at Ol' Miss (which may or may refer to a certain real university) for some indeterminate reason (student, teacher, school nurse, visitor, beau, burglar) during one of the lifetimes of Dax (and we have no real idea about the specifics of that lifetime). Basically, everything is open to wild speculation here.
Thankfully, Memory Alpha appropriately marks the speculation there as such.
Timo Saloniemi
We have very little idea about McCoy's early history anyway. There is no indication yet that he studied medicine first and joined Starfleet thereafter, even though many novels assume this. Nor is there evidence against him earning his PhD and officer commission within the standard four Academy years - after all, other, later and better-known bios suggest that engineers can get their demanding academic-level training within those parameters easily enough.
All we really know about McCoy's story is his birthdate (thanks to "Encounter at Farpoint"), the number of years he served as starship CMO (thanks to ST6:TUC), and a couple of rather fuzzy glimpses to his career aboard the Enterprise (with no indication that we would be seeing his first year aboard, or his last year, or anything). Those, and a very fuzzy reference in "Trials and Tribble-ations" for him having been at Ol' Miss (which may or may refer to a certain real university) for some indeterminate reason (student, teacher, school nurse, visitor, beau, burglar) during one of the lifetimes of Dax (and we have no real idea about the specifics of that lifetime). Basically, everything is open to wild speculation here.
Thankfully, Memory Alpha appropriately marks the speculation there as such.
Timo Saloniemi
Boy, let's hope Bones had more than a Ph.D. before he started treating patients in a hospital....
Sybok does mention to him "You're a doctor." Presumably that would mean durring the time of euthanasia, since it would be irrelevant if he euthanized Dad, then became a doctor later.
Hmm... Good point, but I'm not sure it's enough, since mindfucking was Sybok's line of business, and McCoy at that point wasn't in a state of mind that would have allowed him to argue facts.
Regarding my tirade about the unknowns, I'd be inclined to trust the TAS datapoint from "Albatross" that McCoy was doing medicine in 2251 already, even if in a junior role. What that means in terms of his medical or Starfleet careers is less clear. The Dramia II survivor did consider the young McCoy he had met a "doctor" already, though.
Timo Saloniemi
Regarding my tirade about the unknowns, I'd be inclined to trust the TAS datapoint from "Albatross" that McCoy was doing medicine in 2251 already, even if in a junior role. What that means in terms of his medical or Starfleet careers is less clear. The Dramia II survivor did consider the young McCoy he had met a "doctor" already, though.
Timo Saloniemi
Boy, let's hope Bones had more than a Ph.D. before he started treating patients in a hospital....
Yes, I'd prefer him to be a M.D.
I don't want most Ph.D.s I know treating patients.
People,
I think it's clear the implication was he was already a physician and tried to find a cure. What's great about this scene is it shows that despite his great skills as a doctor, it was one time when they couldn't help someone very close to him, his father. And then the added kick in the stomach that shortly after he euthanized his father, they found a cure. This scene is one of the few things to redeem TFF, as it added a pathos to McCoy that was true to his character as a doctor who has deep feelings about his avocation.
As for the idea that McCoy was a civilian doctor then joined Starfleet, I think one ep makes it fairly clear, The Ultimate Computer. McCoy doesn't know what the phrase "dunsel" meant, and Spock, being an Academy graduate, explains to McCoy it's used by midshipmen at Starfleet Academy. This most likely means McCoy was never a midshipman at the Academy, but rather, went to some Starfleet version of today's Officer Candidate School.
So sorry, Timo, but I prefer the explanation I outlined as it's the least complicated.
Red Ranger
I think it's clear the implication was he was already a physician and tried to find a cure. What's great about this scene is it shows that despite his great skills as a doctor, it was one time when they couldn't help someone very close to him, his father. And then the added kick in the stomach that shortly after he euthanized his father, they found a cure. This scene is one of the few things to redeem TFF, as it added a pathos to McCoy that was true to his character as a doctor who has deep feelings about his avocation.
As for the idea that McCoy was a civilian doctor then joined Starfleet, I think one ep makes it fairly clear, The Ultimate Computer. McCoy doesn't know what the phrase "dunsel" meant, and Spock, being an Academy graduate, explains to McCoy it's used by midshipmen at Starfleet Academy. This most likely means McCoy was never a midshipman at the Academy, but rather, went to some Starfleet version of today's Officer Candidate School.
So sorry, Timo, but I prefer the explanation I outlined as it's the least complicated.
Red Ranger
You realize you CAN edit your post for a time after you make it.
i do now thanks
I haven't posted on here much before this.
McCoy doesn't have to have gone to the Academy or even OCS. I'm guessing that Starfleet does what our military does: commissions its doctors at specific ranks without having to put them through the service academies. For example, if you are an Army doctor, they start you out at Captain; if Navy, I believe it's Lieutenant. Starfleet is probably the same.
Maybe Abrams will have the Karl Urban McCoy mention his father's then-recent passing?
Thank you all for your replies.
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